February Offerings and an Invitation of Self-Care

How can we heal, change and grow if we do not change our habitual ways of living, being and loving? We are in a time of transition and change in the world we live in yet we are often terrified of trying on new ways of thinking, living, being and loving. What are symptoms that change is imperative? A run down immune system, feeling over scheduled and with little time for yourself, feeling impatient and letting that brevity of care seep into the relationships that matter the most in your life. These type of symptoms are here to wake you up to make brave decisions towards health, connection, wellness and love.

Think about the last time you were asked to attend an event and you were exhausted + run-down from the week, yet you still said “yes.” Do you recall how you felt saying yes? Maybe resentful or wishing you could stay home and rest? What did you fear might happen if you spoke your deepest truth? What if instead of “yes” you said, “You know, I would love to be there but I really need to take care of my health and wellness and stay in this evening?” What if we lived from a place of honest communication and began to shift the paradigm from Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) to Fear of Missing IN? Fear of disappointing another to considering our own needs as much as we consider everyone else's.

It may be helpful to unpack what I mean by the word “In.” It means the turning toward our whole and full experience of being a human and listening in, checking in and nurturing ourselves. It may begin with a simple question of self-inquiry: How am I? How am I really? And what do I need to feel well?

For some of us it’s warm, cozy and rejuvenating to spend time with ourselves and for others the idea of this sounds terrifying. One of the gifts we receive when we turn our attention to our own process is that we notice natural rhythms that are otherwise overlooked. When teaching meditation to groups of practitioners it is quite common for many to notice fatigue as soon as they direct their attention inward. Why? Because most of the time we live on auto-pilot as a defense mechanism to avoid the overwhelming demands of life. Many of us are just trying to get through the day. However, when we do step into a few moments of stillness we often learn so much about our body, mind and heart. We may notice that we feel sleep deprived, or are hungry, or maybe we need a massage. We may notice that we are feeling stressed and distracted and that a breath of fresh air may be just what is needed to reboot. These are just a few examples of how the simple act of turning toward our inner experience provides much wisdom on the natural rhythms of what our human body + mind + heart need to reach wellness. I invite you to take a moment now. Rest the soles of your feet on the floor beneath you, sit with an upright and easy posture, and take 3 slow deep cleansing breaths. Sit in stillness for 2 minutes and notice what you notice without judging your experience. How is your mind? Busy? Clear? What’s on your heart? Sadness? Joy? Worry? Move your attention to notice your body. Can you feel the pressure of your body on the chair beneath you? Are you relaxed, energized or tired? Take a few moments to acknowledge and honor what you noticed and with this awareness begin to align your next moments in a way that supports your truth. Self-care is like building a muscle. We practice slowing down, checking in and noticing what we notice. From that place of honest, non-judgmental and loving awareness you can begin making shifts in your choices and behavior to practice deeply aligning with your needs. Have fun with this, it’s an experiment in exploring the willingness to live life with greater consciousness and care for yourself.

Self-care is the soothing feeling that comes from sinking into a warm bath, having a cup of tea or sitting down with a good book. Take a moment and remember the ways you already take care of yourself and see if you might implement one additional act of care into your day today, and again tomorrow, and build a pattern of self-care that will tilt the scale away from living on automatic pilot toward living an embodied life. If self-critical thoughts arise as you begin know that it is normal to feel nervous or resistance when we challenge old ways of living to make room for the new. Keep moving towards love.

Please join me for a 2-Hour Mindful Self-Compassion workshop on Sunday, February 18th from 1:30-3:30pm at Avenue’s Yoga in Salt Lake City. Advanced registration is required and space is limited. You belong and I hope you will join me.Click here for more details and to register.

My book this month which is part of an inspiring collection of books for sale at the SHOPPE is: Judgement Detox by Gabby Bernstein. It is a companion to the Universe Has Your Back cards that many of you have and love. Let’s spend more time reading, listening to and surrounding ourselves with inspiration to remind us that life sustains us and that we are part of a big, juicy world.

My fave new products at the SHOPPE at Metta are:

Velvet Journals and beautiful paper goods:

All gemstone malas are HALF off through the month of February, going quickly, so if you've had your eye on one of these beauties, now is the time! Message me to make an appointment to shop.

All other jewelry is 20% off through the month of February to celebrate the month of love.